


caught in a love song so loud

by kblaze2



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Love Simon (2018)
Genre: Canon Divergence - Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), M/M, gays in love, infinity war? idk her
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-26
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2019-04-08 08:18:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14101251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kblaze2/pseuds/kblaze2
Summary: steve and bucky go see love, simon. that's it.





	caught in a love song so loud

**Author's Note:**

> spoilers obviously for love simon. 
> 
> in this good gay world thanos and infinity war don't exist and it's all good they're just gays seeing a good gay movie

Bucky’s sitting at the small kitchen table by their window, looking out at the streets of the city he loves. He has a hard time believing he really is this lucky, living back in Brooklyn with Steve after all these years, after Zemo and Ross, after the trial, after everything.

The government found him innocent, T’Challa and Shuri gave him a new arm and assured the UN and US of the fail safes in Wakanda’s control — accessible by Bucky, of course (and Steve) — Ross wasn’t too appeased, but accepted grudgingly. It was enough to get everyone off his back, to give him a chance to rest and breathe and let himself become again, with Steve by his side. That whole mess is behind them; two years have gone by, and they still see Sam pretty often. Wanda keeps in touch, as do Natasha and Scott, for some reason; Clint fucked off to his farm, and they talk to Fury pretty often for a dead guy. Steve isn’t an Avenger anymore — the Avengers aren’t even Avengers anymore — and Bucky can see Steve’s happy now, but he knows he misses it, still. But Bucky’s stopped bringing it up because he gets the same answer every time: “I’m fine right here, Buck,” followed by a kiss on the cheek.

Speaking of which, Steve comes up behind Bucky now, arms wrapping around his chest, head coming to rest in the crook of Bucky’s neck.

“Whoa, big guy,” Bucky chuckles, pushing his coffee cup farther away, “be careful. I got important goods here.”

“I’ll say,” Steve hums, pressing his lips to Bucky’s jaw. Bucky rolls his eyes, but relaxes into Steve’s touch.

“Hey, Buck,” Steve starts, kissing softer now. “Wanna go see a movie?”

“Sure. Whatcha got in mind?” Bucky agrees, reaching for his phone.

Steve takes Bucky’s phone from his hand, and types away, leaning on the back of his chair now. Bucky chances another sip of his coffee before Steve’s big hand comes into his field of vision again, plopping the phone on the table. Bucky scoffs, but Steve just takes the cup from his hand.

“Just watch,” he says, gesturing to the phone.

Bucky hits play.

_“My name’s Simon. I’m just like you. Except I have one huge ass secret —”_

Bucky arches a brow. “Steve,” he groans. “Why are you showing me this? It looks like some cheesy teen movie —”

_“Nobody knows I’m gay.”_

“—oh.” Bucky swallows. Steve squeezes his shoulder. Bucky keeps watching the trailer.

When it’s done, he just stares at the black screen for a moment, blinking.

“It’s got good reviews,” Steve says lowly, hand sliding to the back of Bucky’s neck. He rubs his thumb in circles against Bucky’s skin. Bucky just keeps staring, and staring, and staring, and Steve’s hand keeps working against him, warm and solid and real.

“There’s a showing in an hour,” Steve continues. He shakes Bucky gently. “Buck?”

Bucky nods, clearing his throat. “Yeah,” he says. “Yeah, we can go.” He takes the hand of Steve’s that rests on his shoulder. “Of course we can go. It looks good.”

Steve squeezes his hand, and rests his chin atop Bucky’s head. “Good.”

—

They go to the theater, and Bucky gasps when they take their seats.

“Stevie…” he starts.

“What?” Steve asks, already having managed to shove a handful of popcorn into his mouth.

“Look at all these kids here.”

They got there during the trailers, so there’s a pretty sizeable crowd already seated, but more keep coming in. Groups of teenagers, couples, kids and their parents. A few seats down from them, two girls giggle and press close to one another; in front of them is a group of four teens, talking excitedly; coming in now is a young guy with what looks to be his dad, and the kid looks nervous. Bucky sniffs.

Steve nudges him. “Buck, are you crying? The movie hasn’t even started yet.”

“ _No_ ,” Bucky says pointedly, though there is a lump in his throat. He takes a sip of his blue raspberry slushie.

Steve sees right through him, of course he does, and chuckles. “Okay, Buck.” He drinks from his own Cherry Coke slushie, and then takes Bucky’s hand. And then another handful of popcorn. Bucky rolls his eyes, but rests his head against Steve’s shoulder.

The movie starts.

—

On screen, Simon comes home drunk.

 _“Aces,”_ Simon says, eyes bloodshot and unfocused.

Steve snorts. “Oh, _God_. Is that how stupid we looked?” he whispers, leaning against Bucky.

Bucky pats at his hand, stifling his own chuckles. “I’m afraid so.”

The theater fills with laughter around them.

—

Leah says: _“Sometimes I feel like I’m destined to care so much about one person it nearly kills me,”_ and Bucky’s heart twinges. He reaches for Steve’s hand, to find it’s already open and waiting. Bucky brings their joined hands to his lips.

—

Bucky’s never seen a Waffle House before in his life. Steve seems to be just as new to the concept. After Martin’s invasive questions and embarrassing display on the table, Bucky doesn’t blame Simon for wanting to leave, even though he’s following Lyle, which Bucky doesn’t blame him for, either.

He didn’t expect Simon to be such a bad flirt, though, and it makes him laugh, nearly uncontrollably. He leans into Steve, “That’s how bad you flirt, Stevie.”

Steve squawks. “Shut _up_ , no it isn’t.” But he doesn’t have much of an argument besides that, not that it stands a chance against Bucky’s laughing. Steve just crosses his arms and pouts, elbowing Bucky in the chest.

—

A few minutes later, Simon pulls the car over, and Bucky knows.

It still hits Bucky when he says it, though, the way he can’t look Abby in the eye. It reminds Bucky so much of himself, how he didn’t let himself think about it until absolutely necessary, until it bubbled out of him in a uncontrollable rush, staring at Steve’s red face. How he ran out of their apartment after, and didn’t come back for hours. But then he watches Abby’s reaction, and thinks about how Steve immediately pulled him into his arms when he came home, and didn’t let go for eighty years. Steve squeezes his hand as if he knows what Bucky’s thinking, which he probably does. He smiles at Bucky when Simon puts on his blinker.

—

He feels it all again when Simon comes out to his parents. And he can’t help but think what his parents would’ve thought, what Sarah would’ve thought. He knows Steve is wondering the same, and he hears a sniffle from him. Bucky falls against him.

—

Bucky has to physically hold Steve back from reaching through the screen to punch Martin, not that Bucky blames him. He keeps either hand fisted in the front and back of Steve’s shirt, trying to keep him put, though Bucky himself is seething.

Steve calls Martin a weasel, and mutters under his breath the whole time he tries to talk to Simon.

_“Get the fuck away from me!”_

The theater collectively “oooohs” and Steve continues to curse Martin out, and Bucky pats his pec to try to placate him. It doesn’t work, but Steve does manage to sit still.

—

All of Simon’s mom’s talk of secrets gets Bucky misty-eyed, listening to her love her son.

And then she says: _“You get to exhale now, Simon,”_ and Bucky feels the whole theater let out a breath. The air shifts around them, like they’ve entered a new world, with no weights holding them down. He feels it in his own chest, his throat that grows tight, and the tears that fall from his eyes. He can’t stop them, not that he really wants to. Steve puts his arm around Bucky and pulls him in, tucks him in close like he did all those years ago. Bucky looks in the glow of the screen and sees Steve’s eyes are red around the edges, too, a couple tear tracks on his cheeks. Bucky leans up and kisses him on the jaw, and rests his head back against Steve’s chest.

—

Bucky chokes his way into a sitting position when Simon’s dad says Grindr is Facebook for gay people. Steve claps him on the back while takes a sip from his slushie.

“That is _not_ what it is.”

Steve just laughs along with the rest of the theater.

—

The carnival scene gets to both of them. Watching Simon ride alone for so long is excruciating, and Bucky hides behind his hand when he gets told he has two more rides. He has to put his other hand on Steve’s leg to stop him from leaping for Martin again when he shows up. But then the most beautiful thing happens, and Bucky gasps.

_“Is this seat taken?”_

He slaps Steve’s chest. “I knew it!” he whispers.

_“Oh, I'm kinda waiting for someone.”_

_“I know.”_

Steve’s smile is so sweet and bright and open, Bucky rests his hand on his knee. Steve twines their fingers together, and sniffs.

  _“It's you.”_

_“It's me.”_

The Ferris wheel starts, and Bucky gasps again, a homesick tug in his chest. “Stevie…”

The Wonder Wheel was one of the only things Steve could ride at Coney Island, his stomach being so weak and him being so small. But Bucky didn’t mind; the views of the City were incredible, the breeze whipping through their jackets, crammed together in that private space as they flew over the world, the world that seemed to be working against them. Except in those moments. There, then, they were invincible. It was Bucky’s favorite place to spend time with Steve, before the war. To just be.

They’ve been back a few times in the past two years, but the City looks so different now; the world is different. But, he thinks, as he watches Simon and Bram share their first kiss in their car touching the sky, maybe this new world isn’t so bad after all, if it lets these two kids feel safe even when they get back to the ground.

Steve kisses Bucky’s hand this time, tangled with his own, and rests them in his lap, covering them both with his spare hand. His touch is warm and makes Bucky feel as safe as he did on that Ferris wheel on top of the world.

—

It takes them a while to leave their seats once the movie ends. It takes them a while to wipe their eyes, and it looks like they’re not the only ones. There’s a lot of hugging going on around them, and Bucky feels grateful to be surrounded by all of them, sitting here next to Steve.

—

Later, they make a call, take a jet, and fly to the nearest Waffle House.

“I can’t believe we’ve never been to a Waffle House before,” Bucky says as he bites into his food.

Steve picks up his coffee. “I can’t believe there’s not one in the entire state of New York.”

“Homophobia,” Bucky states, and Steve arches a brow, smiling, though. Bucky smiles back. “I heard one of the kids in the bathroom say it. How the hand dryer not working was homophobic.” He shrugs. “Feels right.”

Steve laughs. “Well, you’re both right.” He takes a bite of his hash browns, simultaneously reaching across the table for Bucky’s hand. “I’m real glad we got to see that movie, Buck.”

“Yeah,” Bucky smiles. “I’m glad all those kids got to see that movie. Can you imagine what it would’ve been like for us to have something like that?”

Steve looks at their hands, where his thumb rubs across Bucky’s knuckles. He’s silent for a few moments.

“No,” he finally whispers. “I can’t imagine it.” His eyes turn up to meet Bucky’s. “It just wasn’t the right time.”

Bucky nods. “Yeah. Sucks, though.”

“Sucks,” Steve agrees, huffing out a breath. “Homophobic, even.”

He smirks at Bucky. Bucky rolls his eyes.

“Shut up and eat your waffles.”

“Happy to,” Steve says, and does just that, but he doesn’t let go of Bucky’s hand. Bucky doesn’t mind.

—

They get home, and Bucky takes a shower. When he comes out, he finds a sticky note on the dresser, Steve’s scrawl across it:

 

> _Dear Bucky,_
> 
> _You deserve a great love story, too._
> 
> _Love, Steve._

Bucky smiles, holding the note to his chest. Steve’s in the living room, sprawled across their couch. He looks up, and catches Bucky’s eye through the doorway, and smiles at him. Even blows him a kiss. Bucky’s eyes well up, though he turns back to the dresser so Steve doesn’t see.  

He writes a note of his own, and when Steve goes to the bathroom before bed, he sticks it in his book:

 

> _Dear Steve,_
> 
> _I know. I’m glad I got mine with you._
> 
> _Love, Bucky._

Steve falls asleep tangled with Bucky, arms around his chest and face pressed to his neck. It’s not until morning when Bucky’s making breakfast that Steve finds it, and comes to kiss him in the kitchen. They hold each other for a long while, and even though the bacon smokes and burns, Bucky feels pretty safe right here.  

 


End file.
